The Cosmos She Never Was
by Chloryl
Summary: Perhaps she understood what it was like to be bullied. Perhaps Sakura reminded her too much of herself. In any case, Ino valued their friendship, their bond above all else …this was her fatal flaw.
1. One Red Rose

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.

A/N: This story follows the general Naruto storyline, but may deviate in terms of the exact plot and dialogue. Possible OOC in later chapters. Story starts from Ino's childhood days.

* * *

"Roses are the prettiest flowers _ever_," Ino sighed to herself, mesmerized by crimson petals and the light fragrance. "If only I was a rose…"

"Heh, are they, Ino-_pig_?"

Ino blinked in surprise. The red flower slipped from her fingers and was suddenly whisked away by a pair of unknown hands. She turned to face the thief and her eyes widened in fear.

"Oh, h-hello Ami-chan," Ino mumbled, backing away. She mentally slapped herself for getting so carried away picking flowers that she didn't notice Ami and her friends approaching.

"How can someone as ugly as you find a rose as beautiful as this, huh?" Ami asked mockingly, tossing her dark purple hair. "It doesn't _mean _anything, right?"

Fuki and Kasumi giggled uncontrollably. "Good one, boss!"

"I…" Ino bit her lip nervously. She was at a loss for words.

"Her family owns Yamanaka Flowers, don't they?" piped up Kasumi. She looked extremely pleased with herself.

"You must have grown up among dirt and bugs and all sorts of gross things then," Ami smirked, "So that's why you look like you've been rolling in mud every day."

"I do?" Ino squeaked in surprise, taking a quick peek at her hands and clothes. They were clean, of course, immaculate as always. Then why…?

The girls toppled into each others' arms, roaring in laughter.

"You're…so gullible…Ino-pig!" Ami shouted, gasping for breath and struggling to stand up. Her friends remained on the ground, giggling helplessly and pointing at Ino, who blushed furiously.

"You know what?" Ami mused, a manic glint in her brown eyes, "You don't deserve this rose. Why don't you go find another flower, and leave us alone?"

Ino was stunned. They were going to let her go, just like that? Hardly daring to believe her luck, she crept cautiously to the side, hoping that Ami was too preoccupied with the rose to notice.

Suddenly, Ami pushed her roughly aside and Ino slammed into a nearby tree. Winded, she shakily got to her feet, trying ignoring the throbbing pain in her head. Her knees gave way and she crumpled to the grassy floor.

Ami laughed contemptuously and waved the rose in from of Ino's face. "Aren't you going to try and get it back, Ino-pig?"

"I…" Ino glanced helplessly at the retreating form of Suzume-sensei. Of course! Ami would never dream of cornering her with the teacher nearby. She was on her own. Ino steeled herself to make a run for it.

"Hey, she's talking to you, Ino-pig!" Fuki exclaimed irritably. She and Kasumi stepped forwards menacingly. Panic filled Ino's mind and she plastered a brilliant smile on her face to deter the bullies and stall time.

"N-no thank you," Ino's fake smile faltered as Ami advanced, the rose poised over Ino's heart.

"Are you trying to be courteous?" Ami sneered, as Kasumi and Fuki doubled over with derisive laughter.

"No," Ino said coolly. But on the inside, she was fighting back the rising panic. How was she going to be able to get out of this one in one piece? Ino was _not _going home with a black eye again, she would not allow it. Her mother would be furious. Nevertheless, she doubted she had the ability to take on three bullies by herself. Experience had taught her at least that much.

"Hello Ino-pig, are you listening?"

"What…?" Ino asked, without paying much attention.

"I_ said_ the rose is mine now. _Mine_." Ami's eyes glittered.

Ino remained silent. After all, what could she say? Ami was trying to provoke her temper, trying to goad her into attempting to retrieve the rose. And this, as they both knew, would lead to certain, impending doom for a certain blonde-haired kunoichi.

"So what?" Ino finally managed, even though she was trembling in fright, "My parents own a flower shop, I have plenty of roses! What's so extraordinary about this one?" But as she said it, she knew it wasn't strictly true. This one was different and special. It was a wild rose, a beautiful specimen unique to this meadow of daisies, lilies, sunflowers and cosmoses. It symbolized endurance, something Ino treasured with all her heart. Ino had chosen it specifically for it to be her main flower in the bouquet – it was perfect in every way. Anything she added to the arrangement would complement its beauty, she was sure of it. And she knew that Ami didn't care enough to understand. And she was grateful and relieved, because if the bully did, she would use it against her for sure.

Ami's face was livid with undisguised rage. "Y-you Ino-pig!" she shrieked. She flung the rose onto the floor and stepped on it, grinding it into the ground with her heel. Ino stared at her in horror.

"Why did you just –" Ino cried, unsteadily getting to her feet. Forgetting about her fear, she rushed forwards and lifted the damaged rose gingerly and cradled it lovingly in her palm. Ami snatched it from her hands and began to tear the flower to pieces.

"What are you _doing_?" Ino yelped in horror as she watched the shredded petals drifting to the ground.

"Roses symbolize love and beauty right? Right, you little know-it-all?" Ami hissed.

Ino nodded stiffly. _But they means much more than just that..._

"Well that's not you…and it'll never be you, you ugly Ino-pig!"

Her words cut deep. Of course…it was what Ino always wanted, to be like a rose, to be beautiful, to stand out and be unique in a good way. And she wanted to be strong, not a pile of dilapidated petals, and certainly not a commonplace flower. Yet her parents always had differing views with her and each other on the subject of her personal, symbolic flower. Her mother always said she was a cosmos, the floral embodiment of harmony. And her father dreamed she would come to personify violets, which represent the motifs of faith and love.

"_You're not a rose, Ino. It's far too cliché, even for you!"_

"_But otosan –"_

Ino saw the last shred of rose petals fall out of Ami's hands and took a shaky breath. Ami folded her skinny arms, looking immensely satisfied.

"You still think you're a rose, Ino?" she asked scathingly, "You're better off as a cosmos – all showy and pretty, but with no real substance!"

_My mother thinks the same…_

Ino raised her eyebrows, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out, "Pretty? I thought you said –"

Ami blanched, but recovered almost instantaneously. She stepped forwards and slapped Ino hard across the face. Ino's cheeks and eyes stung, but she forced herself to meet the other girl's gaze, her blue eyes defiant.

Ami was red-faced and her hands were clenched into fists. She shot one more malicious glare at Ino before scampering off with her friends in hot pursuit.

Ino breathed a sigh of relief. _That wasn't as bad as last time…_

She gazed miserably at the pile of torn rose petals, wondering if maybe, they were wrong. Maybe she _was_ a rose, but not in the way she wanted. She was shallow and weak, unable to stand up for herself. Or perhaps they were right, she was nothing but a cosmos, or a violet. She let her gaze drift over the patches of cosmos patches. They were beautiful to look at, but they were nothing special. The field was full of them. And they were all the same, meaningless, useless, like her.

"_They represent harmony, Ino." her mother had chided._

Ino rubbed her smarting cheek and allowed herself a small, sad smile. She now realized Ami was jealous, if only slightly. She felt lonely. If only they could have been friends, and not enemies. They both would have been so much happier.

"And there I thought it was something different about me, something wrong with me…" Ino said softly to herself. "Maybe one day I'll prove to them, to everyone, that I'm not just an ordinary cosmos. I will be an exceptional cosmos, one that will live up to its meaning in the language of flowers!"


	2. A Budding Friendship

"Ino, I'm very disappointed in you."

Ino's face fell. "But Suzume-sensei…"

The older kunoichi pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose by the rim. "Ino-chan, I thought you enjoyed our classes together."

"Yes, but –" Ino began.

"Inoichi tells me you have blossoming talent in flower arrangement."

Ino gulped. "I guess so, sensei."

Suzume gazed at her student tearfully, the perfect image of grief. Ino narrowed her eyes suspicously. What did her sensei want?

"Why are you doing so poorly recently? I thought kunoichi class was your best subject!" she wailed.

Ino studied her fingers dubiously. "I don't know."

"Please put more effort into your studies," her teacher pleaded, "You just seem so distracted and careless lately. It isn't like you at all. And Ami tells me you damaged a rose by mistake last week – but you're the most talented in handling and cutting flowers in the entire class! How did you manage to do that?" she laughed nervously, also looking down at her own fingers.

Ino felt a flash of annoyance. No wonder Ami had left so quickly without giving her a good beating. She had had another means of revenge, undoubtedly a devious one, and Ino should have realized it sooner. _Oh well, _Ino thought, _at least I didn't get beaten to pulp…or worse._

"I'm sorry, sensei," Ino reassured Suzume, who seemed on the verge of tears again, "I'll try harder, honest!"

"Are you sure there's nothing wrong?" she asked, peering uncomfortably closely into Ino's face. She looked concerned, frightened, and even a little bit angry. Ino wondered if her sensei had gone completely ballistic. "Is everything all right with your family, Ino? Ami tells me you've tried to run away from home."

_What the – ?! _Leave it to Ami to weave a ridiculous story about some nonexistent problems about Ino's life. And leave it to Suzume to gobble it up, in all its absurd glory. Ino stifled an exasperated sigh.

"I'm fine," she said stiffly. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask, or am I dismissed?"

Suzume gaped at her. Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Ino frowned, then turned on her heel and began to walk away.

"I-Ino!" Suzume spluttered indignantly, regaining her voice just as Ino turned the corner and disappeared from view.

Soon after, she was back picking wildflowers, humming happily to herself. How much she loved this place when Ami and her gang weren't here to spoil her fun! She loved the tranquility of unspoiled nature, which was so much more enjoyable without her rowdy classmates shouting and laughing in the background. Nevertheless, she felt miserable when she was all alone, not that she would ever admit it to herself, of course. Ino breathed in the fresh, fragrant air, a small smile playing on her lips. This was her idea of heaven, she thought, kicking back her feet. Then she tensed, sensing an unseen presence nearby. Someone or _something _was watching her from behind the dense foliage. _Oh no, not Ami and her friends…!_

Terror gripping her heart. She whirled around just in time to see a small shape dart away from behind a nearby tree. She couldn't make out the intruder's face, but she caught a glimpse of pink hair before the figure disappeared completely. Ino let out a sigh of relief. It was definitely not Ami or any of her minions. Come to think of it, she was certain it was one of her classmates from the Academy. Ino grinned at no one in particular, glad for the companionship, even though her companion seemed awfully shy. That girl was all by herself as well. Maybe, just maybe, they could be friends.

"What are you smiling at, Ino-pig?" a familiar voice rang out, accompanied by a chorus of raucous laughter.

_Drat._


	3. Coward

Ino took a deep, steadying breath and met Ami's glare with one of her own. The other girl looked unnerved, but she stayed where she was, her expression stiff and unchanged.

"What do you want?" Ino finally dared to ask, mentally preparing herself for a verbal assault.

"Oh, nothing," Ami said breezily, causing Ino to choke in disbelief. "We were just looking for Forehead Girl. Have you seen her around?"

The person she meant was evidently one of her other victims. Ino had never heard that nickname before though, and she was mildly interested.

"Who?" she asked curiously, wondering who on earth it could be.

"I saw her earlier today, boss." Kasumi grunted, ignoring Ino's question. She waved her left arm vaguely in the direction of the forest behind them.

Ami glanced at Ino, appearing to be bored and uninterested. "You're lucky, Ino-pig. We have someone else in mind to entertain us today, so run along now, before we change our mind." She turned to Fuki. "Come on, let's go."

They started down the slope, but Ami suddenly stopped, causing her friends to bump into her and fall to the ground. Ami spun around and glared daggers at Fuki and Kasumi.

"Hey, watch it, you two!" she said crossly.

The two girls hung their heads in humiliation. "Sorry, boss," they mumbled into the dirt. "please forgive us."

"I think I hear something," Ami said, paying no attention to her friends' apologies. They staggered to their feet, still muttering fervently.

"Shut up!" Ami yelled.

The trio froze, falling silent. Ino listened carefully, but she heard nothing but the wind whistling pleasantly in her ear, the muted chirping of birds, and the rustling of leaves.

"There!" Fuki cried triumphantly, pointing at a spot behind Ino. She spun around and saw a bush located a few metres from where they stood. And the branches were shaking in the most peculiar manner.

"She won't hide for long," Ami said, smiling smugly. Then she raised her voice, staring directly at a quivering bush. "Isn't that right, Forehead?"

Ino heard a frightened squeak. The bush rustled and a young girl tumbled out, gasping for breath. She had pink, shoulder-length hair and bright, inquisitive emerald eyes. Ino recognized her by the unique hair colour immediately. She was the girl who had been spying on her earlier. The girl blinked apprehensively at Ami and her gang. Her wide, terrified eyes darted to Ino for a fraction of a second before she quickly looked at the ground.

"Oi! Billboard brow!"

Ino kept her gaze averted as to not draw attention to herself. Ami had a notorious habit of dragging bystanders into the situation, and she did not want to get involved. However, when she heard a loud thump and a sharp cry of pain, she looked up, despite herself.

The girl was cowering against a tree. Her hands were shielding her forehead and she looked petrified.

"Oh sorry," Ami giggled, "Your forehead was just so big, I mistook it for a punching bag."

Fuki and Kasumi guffawed in synchronization. The pink-haired girl whimpered, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. Ino was enraged. Why was Ami so cruel to everyone? Did she find pleasure in their pain? She took a step towards the bullies, without knowing what she intended to do. But then she stopped, and hung her head in shame. She wasn't even able to stand up for herself, what was she thinking getting entangled in another girl's business? It wasn't in her place to interfere; she would just make it worse. Ino gazed sadly at the girl on the ground and stiffened when she saw that she was looking at her beseechingly.

"I'm…sorry," Ino whispered with an almost imperceptible shake of the head as she drew back into the shadows. The girl's brilliant green eyes bore holes into the back of her head as Ino walked slowly away, feeling treacherous. Even as she reached the familiar streets of her home, she could not stop thinking about the pain and accusation she saw in those wide, frightened eyes.


	4. Naught but a Ribbon

She never wanted to go through something like that again.

Ino felt terribly guilty all morning, and moped around the store instead of helping her mother organize flowers. She didn't have much of an appetite either and excused herself halfway through lunch.

"You need to eat," her father boomed heartily, "if you want to be a strong kunoichi and make your dad proud!"

Ino nodded listlessly. But she wasn't really listening. She mumbled something unintelligible about training.

"Ino, your father is right," her mother reprimanded, "Training isn't all there is to being a shinobi."

Ino nodded again, but left the table quickly when her parents weren't paying attention.

"Where are you going?" Inoichi called after her.

"I'm going to go take a walk," Ino said simply. So she had no choice but to follow through.

Somehow, she ended up standing by the edge of the cobblestone road watching the sky hazily shift from blue to a fiery, misty orange. But she was not paying much attention to the sunset. Instead, she could see the pink-haired girl, who sat in the middle of the road, sobbing quietly. Ino approached hesitantly, trying not to startle her. She slipped beside the girl soundlessly. She did not notice, so Ino cleared her throat and twiddled her thumbs nervously. She felt a fresh wave of guilt and remorse when she saw that the poor girl had bruises on her arms and a shallow cut on her face.

"You're the one who always get picked on and called forehead girl, huh?" Ino asked, breaking the silence.

The girl jumped violently, her eyes darting around with the look of a caged animal. When she was aware of Ino sitting directly in front of her, she blinked in surprise. Then she hiccupped, wiping her eyes with her sleeves. "Wh-who are you?" she asked tentatively. She did not seem to recognize her from yesterday's incident, Ino decided, feeling comforted by this fact.

"I'm Yamanaka Ino. What about you?"

"I'm…Sakura," she whispered hoarsely as more tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I can't hear you, speak up." Ino said encouragingly. The girl narrowed her eyes in annoyance.

"Haruno Sakura!" she yelled, gazing up at Ino tearfully.

"That's better," Ino grinned, trying to coax a smile out of her. Her face fell when Sakura continued to cry. Ino leaned forwards and poked her on the forehead. Sakura stiffened.

"Your forehead really is big," Ino marvelled, "No wonder you cover it up with your hair." She mentally smacked herself when Sakura's sobs grew louder in volume.

"Sakura, right?" she asked. The other girl nodded sadly. "Come here tomorrow, too. I have something for you."

Sakura stared disbelievingly after Ino as the latter stood up and prepared to leave. "Wh-what?"

But Ino had already gone.

-:-

"What is it, Ino-chan?" Sakura asked shyly, trying to peer over her shoulder. Ino held the object behind her back and shifted so Sakura was unable to get a good look. Her eyes twinkled playfully.

"Shh, close your eyes," she said. Sakura obliged, and Ino stepped forwards and brushed the loose strands of pink hair away from her forehead. Then she tied the red ribbon expertly on top of Sakura's head. She moved back to inspect her handiwork and nodded in satisfaction. "There, you're cuter this way, Sakura."

Sakura opened her eyes and stared at Ino for a long time. Her hands moved to her forehead, then the ribbon, then back to her forehead. Her lips trembled ominously.

"B-but –"

"It's yours now, I'm giving it to you," Ino explained.

"But…my forehead," Sakura mumbled. She hung her head in shame.

"You only get picked on because you hide it," she said comfortingly. "You're cute, so don't be afraid."

Sakura gave her a watery smile. "Th-thank you."

Ino smiled back, her heart expanding with joy for her newfound friend. "Now don't get all teary-eyed on me, Sakura-chan," she teased.

Sakura's lower lip trembled more violently. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and she stepped forwards and impulsively gave Ino a hug. Ino was startled, but she hugged her back and patted her on the head awkwardly.

"Ino-chan…"

"Come on! Let's go!" Ino grinned, motioning to Sakura to go with her back to the village. Her new friend followed hesitantly, stumbling over loose pebbles once in a while causing Ino to dissolve into fits of giggles. Sakura flushed in embarrassment and eyed Ino reproachfully. But eventually, she joined Ino and their combined peals of laughter gave them both a new sense of hope and friendship.

-:-

Sakura was perched on an overturned flowerpot in Ino's back garden, watching Ino clipping flowers and arranging them by colour. Sakura fingered a beautifully-trimmed rose and her gaze lingered on the creamy petals for a long time.

"Ino-chan, you're so talented," Sakura breathed, staring at her handiwork admiringly.

Ino laughed. "Not really. So what do you like to do, Sakura?"

"M-me?" she asked timidly, carefully placing the rose back on the ground.

"Of course, silly! What are you good at, or proud of?" Ino enquired.

Sakura looked down. She picked up a fallen cherry blossom and began to play with it self-consciously.

"So?" Ino prompted. Now she was genuinely curious.

"I…" Sakura mumbled, "I'm not good at anything, I suppose."

"But everyone must be good at _something_," Ino insisted.

Sakura shook her head stubbornly.

"Fine, if you're determined to think that way," Ino said, a sly smile forming on her lips, "then I'll teach you how to trim these flowers, and then you can't say you're not good at anything."

Sakura stared wide-eyed at Ino's mulish expression. Then she began to smile. "Thank you Ino-chan," she whispered.


	5. Stargazer

She sat alone, looking up at the stars.

Ino found her there, sitting on an outcrop of rock. There were fresh tear tracks gleaming on her cheeks. Ino sat down beside her. She made no indication that she detected her presence, so Ino coughed lightly. Sakura gave a violent start and jumped to her feet.

"Sakura! It's just me," Ino whispered.

Sakura still did not seem willing to let down her guard. She eyed Ino suspiciously, her green eyes shining in the darkness, bright and mistrustful.

"What do you want?" she asked, her voice low and distraught.

"I…I just wanted to talk to you," Ino confessed.

Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed into slits. "_Talk_ to me?" she asked bitterly.

_What's up with her?_ Ino wondered, terrified. A few days ago, she had started to come out of her shell a little bit. She even talked a bit about her own life when a curious Ino had asked.

"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" she was thoroughly alarmed. Why was she acting like this?

Sakura's shoulders sagged. The fire in her eyes died, and was replaced by pain. "Why did you come to talk to me yesterday, Ino-chan?"

"I wanted to be friends," Ino flushed slightly, but continued. "And I also felt bad that I didn't stand up for you when Ami and her gang were bullying you. It was my fault, I'm sorry. I should have done something. If I had intervened…" she gestured to Sakura's bruised arms and legs.

"So I wanted to make it up to you, to prove that I'm not as selfish as I look," Ino finished playfully.

Sakura's eyes widened, "Friends…" she whispered, as if she didn't quite understand.

Ino nodded hopefully. Her spirits diminish when she saw the look on Sakura's face.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" Ino demanded.

She covered her face with her hands. "S-she told me…that you…just wanted to use me…y-you didn't…care. She said…that I was nothing but a tool…not a friend, j-just a pawn." Ino gaped as Sakura started sobbing in earnest.

"Sakura…?!"

"P-please, just leave me alone," she managed, turning away so Ino could not see her tearstained face.

"Who said this to you?" Ino demanded, anger bubbling in her throat.

"Just…go away."

Ino couldn't help herself. A tear leaked from the corner of her eye. "If that's what you want. But please, Sakura. Tell me who told you that."

"It's obvious, no one needed to tell me," Sakura's voice was hoarse, but she had stopped crying. She sounded like she was reciting it from memory. "You're popular, pretty, and have plenty of friends. What do you want with someone like me? What will you gain with me as a _friend?_"

Ino stared at her, open-mouthed. Where was she getting these strange ideas? Just because she had other friends didn't mean she couldn't make friends with Sakura, right? Her popularity only made her lonelier and feel more superficial. And it made her a more vulnerable target to people like Ami, as she would never dream of telling anyone that she had been bullied. She wanted someone she could talk to, someone that could understand her. And the only person like that was Sakura. Ino prepared herself to reply, but Sakura wasn't done.

"S-she said you liked to compare people to flowers," she whispered, almost to herself, "She said that you yourself were nothing but a cosmos, all showy and pretty, but with no real substance. I-it's true, isn't it Ino-chan? H-how can someone like that – how can _you_ want something as idealistic as friendship?"

"Nothing but a cosmos, am I?" Ino said, seething. Her mind was working, fast. This was definitely her doing, yes, no wonder Sakura was acting like this!

Sakura looked alarmed. "I didn't…mean it that way. I was only –"

Ino looked at her, a small smile beginning to form on her face. "I'm not talking about you, silly. It was Ami who told you this, wasn't it?"

"H-how did you…?"

Ino knelt down beside her. "Sakura-chan. I solemnly swear that I honestly want to be your friend. Don't listen to Ami, please. She's infamous for making up rumours about people. Did you know she once told Suzume-sensei that I ran away from home?" she grinned.

"How do I know you're not making it up?" Sakura asked, but her face was shining with hope.

Ino's grin widened. "Then we'll just have to see, won't we? I'll prove it to you one day. Come on, I told you I'd show you how to cut flowers. How about it?"

Sakura nodded breathlessly, drying her eyes.

"I would love that," she said softly, "And I'm sorry for being so thoughtless, I shouldn't have poured out all my anger on you."

"Oh, don't worry, Sakura," Ino laughed happily, "I told you I wanted to be your friend, didn't I? We'll be friends till the end!"


	6. The Language of Flowers

"Female ninjas must learn a wide range of techniques as a woman, not just shinobi techniques. If you cannot act like a proper woman in enemy territory, you will have trouble spying. Today's topic is flower arrangement," Suzume intoned.

"Oh yeah!" Ino exclaimed. Sakura eyed her shyly, her hands clasped around her knees.

The rest of the class groaned. "Again?"

"The art of flower arranging is a _life skill_," Suzume insisted, "and as I recall, the only kunoichi in the entire class that is able to master it so far is Yamanaka Ino."

She looked expectantly at Ino, who frowned. What did her sensei want her to do, stand up and take a bow? Ino stared resolutely forwards, determined to ignore her if it came to that. Suzume's mouth tightened into a thin line.

"No fair!" someone shouted, "She practically lives in a garden, sensei! Her parents own a flower shop."

Suzume acted as though the student hadn't spoken, but her mouth tightened even more. "Now run along, children. Go pick the flowers you want."

Ino was thrilled to be back in her favourite meadow, even though the rest of the class was here with her. Their loud, boisterous voices couldn't spoil her mood, not today. She ran off in search of some flowers, forgetting about Sakura momentarily.

"Ino-chan, wait up!" Sakura bounded after her. She waved frantically, trying to catch her attention. Halfway there, however, she tripped and fell into the grass.

"You're so clumsy," Ino teased, helping her up. Sakura blushed and stumbled to her feet. Together, they went off in search of pretty flowers. Ino kept her eyes peeled for roses, but her instincts told her that the one she found the other day was probably unique to this field, and such good fortune would never smile upon her a second time. Or would it? Nevertheless, she scanned her surroundings, still hoping.

"I'm no good at this," Sakura sighed after a few minutes. Ino glanced sideways at her friend. Sakura's hands were full of limp thoroughworts and her expression was grim.

"Hmm, there's a trick to these things," said Ino, smiling. She held out her hand to Sakura. "Here, I'll teach you. You first need to pick your main flower, and then add other flowers to accentuate it. Flowers shouldn't fight to be number one. Let's see…"

Sakura pointed to a patch of cosmos in the distance. "How about those, Ino-chan?"

Ino followed her gaze and her expression tightened for a moment. _Cosmos…_

"Yes, they're pretty," Ino nodded approvingly, "A cosmos would make a nice main flower indeed."

Sakura scampered over to the flowers and carefully picked a single cosmos. Then she came back and proffered the flower to Ino. She took it, and continued, "Then these thoroughworts you picked would accentuate it nicely. You know, cosmos are known as the cherry blossoms of the fall. It's also the most beautiful flower during the fall season."

Sakura nodded and stared, wide-eyed. "What does it mean?"

Ino looked away. Ami had told Sakura that the language of flowers meant a lot to Ino. "Harmony," she said quietly, "so it should fit in with any other fall flowers." She plucked a thoroughwort from Sakura's slack grip tucked it in her blonde hair.

"What do you think?" she asked mischievously. "Do I look good with this? Like a cosmos? Am I cute?"

Sakura gave a little start. She gazed at Ino, her eyes clouded.

"Well?" Ino prompted.

"Yes," she replied, smiling slightly.

"Took you long enough," said Ino, laughing, "What was that gap?"

Sakura giggled and hugged her knees.

"You seem to be having fun today, _Forehead Girl_."

Ino and Sakura both whipped around. The latter whimpered and cowered behind Ino when she realized who it was. Ino glared threateningly at Ami, who didn't seem to notice. She was too caught up in cornering her prey.

"You've been trying to look cute lately, haven't you?" Ami sneered, "Not that it's working. Don't flatter yourself, Billboard Brow."

Sakura's eyes filled with tears as Ami came forward prodded her forehead painfully.

_That's it! She'll never insult my best friend and get away with it ever again!_ Ino deftly snatched some flowers from the pile Sakura had dropped and aimed it directly for Ami's mouth.

"UGH!"

"Ami-chan!" Fuki and Kasumi screamed in synchronization. They quickly ran over to their fallen leader.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Her mouth was open so wide, I mistook it for a vase," Ino said calmly, folding her arms in front of her chest.

Ami struggled to get up, pushing her friends aside. "Ino-pig!" she screeched, her eyes flashing murderously.

"Ninja flower aconite. It's a weak poison, but you should still spit it out," Ino said indifferently, twirling a hyacinth in her fingers. Sakura turned to Ino, her face full of undisguised shock.

"AHHH!" Ami, Kasumi, and Fuki shrieked, running away as fast as their legs could carry them. "Sensei…!"

Ino laughed in satisfaction. Her bluff had worked. Sakura continued to stare.

"Only the roots have poison in them, though," she explained. Sakura's bewildered expression changed into a huge, silly grin. Then it faltered for a moment.

"Sakura?" Ino asked, her eyebrows furrowing.

Sakura's eyes flickered to the thoroughwort still clutched in her hand. "If you're a cosmos, Ino-chan, am I a thoroughwort?"

What? No! Ino didn't want to be a cosmos. Ami was right, cosmoses had no substance. They were pretty to look at, but useless from the inside out. _They represent harmony, Ino…_

Comparing flowers to people was bad, especially now, when she had so much room to change. She had hoped to be a rose, and look where that led her? Now she was nothing but a worthless cosmos.

_"And there I thought it was something different about me, something wrong with me…" Ino said softly to herself. "Maybe one day I'll prove to them, to everyone, that I'm not just an ordinary cosmos. I will be an exceptional cosmos, one that will live up to its meaning in the language of flowers!"_

"What are you talking about?" Ino exclaimed finally. "Well, if you ask me, you're not even a flower yet, just a bud." _A bud with so much room for growth, for change…_

Sakura's eyes widened, and she smiled sheepishly. "Yeah…"

Ino wondered if she should have lied. Should she have told her that she was, say, a cherry blossom?

"Ino-chan?"

"Yes?" she asked, jolting back to reality.

"Why did you give me this ribbon?"

Ino blinked. "Because…I thought it would be a waste for you to wither away as a bud. It might turn out into a flower even more beautiful than a cosmos. Besides, we're friends, the best of friends! And that's what friends are for – to help and be there for each other."

Sakura's lips trembled, and she looked down at her feet.

"Come on Sakura! Let's go pick some more flowers," Ino suggested, standing up and motioning to her to do the same.

Sakura stayed unmoving, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"What's wrong, Sakura?"

"S-something got into my eye when I tripped."

Ino laughed. "You're so clumsy. Come on!"


	7. His Shuriken

Ino was perched precariously on a tree branch, braiding friendship bracelets out of dried grass and bits of flowers. As Sakura was busy with her family today, Ino decided spend the time alone and plan out her birthday gift. She was carefully peeling a cosmos stem into three equal segments when a shuriken lodged itself into the trunk of her tree not far from where she sat. Ino let out a startled scream and lost her balance.

She tumbled out of the tree and fell towards the ground, accelerating at a sickening rate. To her surprise, she landed on something soft with a muffled thump. Someone had caught her, or at the very least, braced her fall with their own body. Ino staggered backwards, searching frantically for her saviour so she could thank them. Her eyes fell upon a young, dark-haired boy who looked about her age. Upon closer inspection, she recognized him as a fellow classmate from the Academy. He had two shurikens in his left hand and one in his right. Ino realized that he was blushing slightly. He must have been the one who threw the shuriken that had frightened her and caused her to fall…

"Um, sorry about that." His dark eyes flickered to the shuriken still stuck high above in the tree. His hand reached towards it reflexively.

"Did you catch me?" Ino asked in amazement, dusting herself off.

His eyebrow twitched and he flushed a deeper shade of red. "Yeah…" he muttered.

"Arigatou," Ino said gratefully.

The boy did not reply. Instead, he retracted his hand and asked, "What are you doing out here all by yourself?"

"I could ask the same to you," she responded. He scowled and she held out her half-finished bracelets. "I was making these."

"Up in a tree?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah!" Ino said defensively. "Then what were _you _doing?"

"Training."

Ino looked confused. She didn't remember Iruka-sensei instructing them to train at all this week. Or perhaps it was for a different class that she didn't take? "What, why? We don't have shuriken-throwing class until –"

He cut her off. "It's not for school."

"Then, why?" Ino asked, genuine curiosity creeping into her voice, despite her attempted façade to appear disinterested.

"I have to be strong…as strong as my brother!" he explained proudly.

"Oh, I see," she mumbled. The boy turned, preparing to leave.

"Wait!" Ino cried, "Who are you?" He halted, looking at Ino curiously.

"We've been classmates at the Academy for a few months now," he paused then said, "I'm…Sasuke."

He started to walk away. "Wait!" Ino said again. "Aren't you going to ask for my name? It's only polite."

Sasuke glanced back at her, his expression amused. "But I already know your name, Ino."

"Oh."

He turned away a third time and Ino watched him vanish into the shadows. She exhaled, rather noisily, and plopped down on the ground. Then she picked up a strip of cosmos and began weaving, lost in thought. As the sun slowly moved across the sky, her fingers became raw and sore. She could hear the sound of panting in the distance, and a metallic whoosh every now and then. She smiled, continuing to braid. At last, Ino tied a final knot and held out the intricately woven fibres at arm's length to examine her masterpiece. There! She was finally done and satisfied with her work. She gathered the precious bracelets and placed them carefully in her pocket. _I wonder how Sasuke's training is going._

Without thinking, Ino got up and followed the distant noises to its source. She was fairly certain that it was he who was making all the racket. Sure enough, she didn't have to walk for long before she spied Sasuke in an empty clearing. He was training all right, his breathing was laboured and he had a kunai grasped tightly in his grip. In fact, he was holding it so tightly, his knuckles were turning white. Without a warning, he leapt into the air and slashed his kunai at a nearby tree.

_He's as fast as a full fledged ninja! _Ino thought enviously. She leaned comfortably against a tree, watching him repeatedly throwing and retrieving his shurikens. His accuracy and speed were remarkable. Ino's eyes could barely follow as he flew nimbly through the air, hurling his weapons at the trees around him. Suddenly, a shuriken whipped through the air and embedded itself mere centimetres above Ino's head.

"I know you're there."

Ino emerged, panting furiously. "You could have killed me!" she spluttered accusingly.

"No I couldn't have," Sasuke assured, "I know my limitations."

Ino muttered angrily under her breath.

"What were you doing, hiding behind that tree?" he asked, pocketing his shuriken.

"Watching you train," Ino grumbled.

"Oh…?"

"And being jealous."

"Oh…"

Ino grinned. "Why do you need to be as strong as your brother, Sasuke-kun? From what it looks like to me, you're plenty strong already."

Sasuke grimaced. "No, I'm still not strong enough."

Ino didn't ask for an explanation. She knew she would never get one at this rate. "Okay, fine."

Sasuke looked pleasantly surprised. Ino was about to say something, but another voice cut her off.

"Oh, _Sasuke-kun_…!"

Sasuke turned pale when he saw the look on Ino's face.

Ami sauntered into view, flipping her violet bangs with an air of superiority. And to Ino's astonishment, her minions weren't with her. Ami _never _went anywhere without them, what was up with that?

"I've…got to go," Sasuke muttered under his breath, and he took off in the other direction.

Ino's gaze flickered from the spot where he had been standing to Ami and back again. _Uh oh…_

Ami bowled her over in her attempt to follow Sasuke. Ino wasn't sure if Ami had even seen her. She probably hadn't, which was most strange.

"Hey, Sasuke! Wait up!" Ami called sweetly, batting her eyelashes. She too, disappeared into the dense forest as she chased after Sasuke, calling out his name. Soon, Ino couldn't hear her voice anymore.

She rubbed her forehead in confusion. What on earth was that all about?!


	8. A Leap of Faith

"Just like that," Ino said, grinning encouragingly. Sakura sure had improved her skills working with flowers all day at the store. The remnants of her first few tries were long forgotten – conveniently hidden underneath an upside-down watering can. Sakura's face glowed at the praise. Then she handed the scissors back to Ino.

"That was so much fun!" she exclaimed, "I hope we can do that again someday."

"Of course," Ino promised, starting to put away the various tools and flowers back in their respective places. Sakura stood up and stretched.

"Here, I'll help you," she said, yawning.

"You look dead on your feet, Sakura-chan," Ino teased lightly, "I don't think you'll be much help like this. Besides, I'm almost done cleaning up."

Sakura wiped her brow with her sleeve. "Who knew flower cutting would be so much work? How are you not tired after doing all this every day?"

"We don't do it every day," Ino explained, "There are still plenty of other jobs besides cutting flowers. You should wait until it's time to rake the flowerbeds!"

Sakura giggled.

"Come on, let's go to the playground," Ino suggested.

"Okay!"

Ino stuck her head out the storeroom. "Okasan! Sakura and I are leaving for a bit, okay?" Her mother didn't reply, but Ino grabbed a sweater and left with Sakura trailing behind her.

The playground was empty. "Awesome!" Ino cheered, earning a timid smile from Sakura. "What do you want to do?"

Sakura shrugged, a light blush forming on her face. "A-anything Ino-chan. I don't mind," she whispered.

Huh? Ino wondered why Sakura was acting so shy again.

"Hey, Ino!"

She turned around and saw the source of Sakura's renewed shyness. "Oh, hello Haruko, Ume."

Her friends waved at her energetically. Ino felt Sakura shift her weight uncomfortably. She knew Sakura wasn't confident with being around a large group of people.

"Who's this, Ino-chan? I've never seen her around before." Ume said, gesturing at Sakura, who was turning slightly green.

"She's Haruno Sakura," Ino said, turning to Sakura encouragingly. "Sakura, these are Ume and Haruko. Say hi!"

Sakura trembled, and gave a tentative wave. "H-hi." Then she darted behind Ino and hid her face with her hands.

"Aw, isn't she cute!" Haruko grinned, "She's your new friend, Ino-chan?"

Ino nodded.

"I think I might've seen her before," Ume said slowly, her eyes unfocused. Sakura tugged on the back of Ino's shirt. _What?_ Ino mouthed. Sakura shook her head frantically.

"I don't think so. She's not from around here," Ino invented wildly.

"Oh," Ume said, frowning slightly. Sakura blinked at Ino gratefully.

"Nice to meet you, Sakura!" Haruko said brightly, extending her hand. Sakura gulped and moved closer to Ino.

"Your friend really is shy," she noted.

Ino sighed. "She'll come out of this phase somehow. Sakura, do you want to go on the swings?"

Sakura nodded mutely.

They walked in silence to where the swings were located on the playground. Ume and Haruko followed from a distance. Ino sat down as soon as they got there, but Sakura remained standing, frozen.

"What's wrong, Sakura? You should sit down," Ino encouraged. Sakura flopped onto the swing next to her just as the other two girls approached.

"Hey, Sakura!" Haruko called. Sakura blinked, but otherwise did not react.

"Your hairstyle is really pretty," she noted, "Especially with that red ribbon you wear."

Ino did not expect Sakura to answer and was pleasantly surprised when she whispered, "T-thank you. Ino-chan gave it to me."

Ume gave Ino a fleeting, sideways look that left her thoroughly confused. "That's very nice of her."

"Yes," Sakura nodded forcefully. Then she smiled.

Ino felt a warm feeling beginning to grow inside of her. Sakura was such a kind and gentle soul, damaged by the bullying she received from Ami and her friends, but nonetheless, still whole and intact. It seemed as though she was starting to get along with other people, perhaps she would be able to develop the ability to stand up for herself. Now that she was getting over her shyness, maybe she would be happier and more carefree. Ino smiled at the thought. Sakura was indeed blossoming, and there was no question that she would become a beautiful flower.


	9. Merely the Unexpected

When Ino opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was an unfamiliar crystal vase stuffed full of cosmos flowers before her. She struggled to get up and rubbed her eyes.

"Mom!" Ino called, "Why did you put flowers in my room?" But as she looked more carefully, she could tell that it was definitely not her mother's handiwork. There were far too many cosmos for the arrangement to be pleasing to the eye, and the leaves hadn't been trimmed properly. Even for something as small and insignificant as this, her mother was a perfectionist. There was no way she could have been the one who put this here. After a short pause, her mother replied that she hadn't, which confirmed Ino's nagging suspicions.

Sakura.

Ino felt her lips tugging at the corners and flung her blankets back on the bed without bothering to fold them. She'd do it later. First, she had something much more important to do. She needed to thank Sakura.

"Ino, someone is here to see you!"

Sakura!

Ino shoved her bedroom door with more force than necessary in her haste and stubbed her toe as she sprinted down the stairs. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her foot, she turned the corner and almost collided into her mother.

"Someone's a little eager," Ino's mother noted, smiling lightly.

"Yeah," Ino panted, "I just had to thank –" she stopped abruptly when she saw who was leaning against the front door of her house.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed, stunned.

In answer, Sasuke held out a friendship bracelet. "You dropped this."

Ino moved forwards and took it gratefully. "Arigatou, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke flinched noticeably. It was at that moment that Ino's mother chose to walk away, leaving them alone. She smiled cheerfully all the way to the kitchen, humming to herself and thinking about how her darling Ino-chan had finally grown up.

"What is it?" Ino asked when her mother had gone.

"Oh, nothing," Sasuke shook his head as if to clear it. "Anyways, I have to go. Sayonara, Ino." Without waiting for a reply, he left the house.

Ino was crestfallen at the sudden departure. She then remembered that she still had yet to visit Sakura and she brightened immediately. She walked towards the kitchen where her mother was waiting for her. She looked surprised when she saw that Sasuke had left so quickly, but she didn't press for details.

"I'm going to go look for Sakura-chan," Ino announced, before she dashed out the front door.

-:-

Ino found her lying in the shade of a cherry tree, scribbling at a notepad with a pencil crayon.

"Hey, Sakura!" she greeted her, running up the short stretch of dirt road before stopping directly in front of her friend. Sakura looked up, her eyes sparkling.

"Ino-chan!" she cried delightedly.

Ino tackled Sakura to the ground and gave her a bear hug.

"What was that for?" Sakura asked, giggling madly and trying to smooth out her hair with her pencil crayon.

"Thanks for the cosmos, Sakura-chan," Ino said, her throat suddenly constricting. "I appreciate it."

Sakura smiled sweetly. "Thank you for teaching me how to cut flowers, Ino-chan. I was practising, and I thought you might like them."

Ino's felt a sudden rush of affection for the other girl. She was so thoughtful sometimes, it made her feel bad.

"Ino-chan? I have a question."

"Ask away," Ino replied in amusement.

Sakura frowned slightly. "Haruko-chan asked me to go shopping with her tomorrow, what should I do?"

Ino was overjoyed. Sakura was starting to get along with her friends! "What do you mean, what do you do? You go with her of course!"

Sakura's frown deepened. "But I wanted to hang out…with you."

"You do?" Ino asked blankly, not truly registering what Sakura had said. When she did, her mouth fell open. "Sakura, I…well, that…I'm flattered," she said at last. "But you still should go shopping with her."

Sakura's mouth opened, but no words came out.

"Besides, what use would it be to hang out with me and my flowers all the time? You should talk to other people too, and you'll find them fun to be around, trust me," Ino insisted.

Ino was thrilled that Sakura liked to be around her so much, but the girl needed to talk to others too. It would improve her self-confidence, she decided. Sakura was on the road to becoming popular and well-liked, Ino could see that. She smiled smugly, watching her pink-haired friend give a hesitant nod.

"Okay, Ino-chan," she said bravely.


	10. A Twist of Fate

"Hey Ino-chan!" Sakura called, her eyes shining as she ran towards Yamanaka Flowers. Ino was busy sorting potted plants but she looked up and waved her arm long before Sakura was in view.

"Ino-chan!" she said breathlessly, holding out a bundle of wilting wildflowers. Ino eyed them, puzzled.

"What is it, Sakura?"

She held out the flowers. "These are for you!"

Ino resisted the urge to giggle and took the flowers in her hand. "You should have placed these in cold water to keep them fresh longer."

Sakura's face fell.

"Though, your cutting skills are incredible. You're getting really talented," Ino continued, examining the end of each stem closely. Sakura brightened instantly.

"Sakura," Ino asked, looking up from the flowers for a moment to see what Sakura was doing. She was now poking half-heartedly at her flower bunch, her expression mild.

"Yes Ino-chan?"

"Would you like to pick flowers with me this afternoon? I could show you how to do it properly, if you'd like."

Sakura bit her lip, looking guiltily down at her feet. "I'm sorry Ino-chan…Akari asked me to hang out with her today, and I told her I would. Maybe tomorrow?"

Ino couldn't help but feel a stab of jealousy. Sakura had really opened up these past few months. Her sweet disposition and bubbly personality attracted friends as well as admirers. Gone was the shy, self-conscious girl Sakura used to be. She had become popular, confident, and cheerful, like Ino had wanted her to be. Her weeks were booked with activities and she was constantly going out with friends. She rarely had time to visit Ino anymore.

"Ino-chan?" Sakura's voice was soft and concerned.

"Oh, okay. Tomorrow, yes," Ino nodded vigorously. Sakura flounced over to inspect the rows of flowers lining the walls. She picked up a small potted rosebush and weighed it in her hand experimentally.

"Ooh, this one is pretty," she remarked.

Ino didn't look up, but she smiled indulgently. "Do you like roses, Sakura-chan?"

She giggled, setting the pot back on the shelf. "Of course! They're so pretty, but I like cherry blossoms more."  
"Cherry blossoms?" Ino raised her eyebrow, "Because they're pretty or because you're named after them?"

"Both," Sakura said sweetly, before dissolving into helpless giggles. Ino laughed too.

Just then, the front door to the flower shop opened, and three girls stepped cautiously inside. The door closed. Ino recoiled, but relaxed when she saw Sakura waving at them.

"You're here!" she exclaimed, standing up to greet her friends. Ino recognized Akari from the Academy, but she had never seen the other two girls before. She nodded formally at them, and they smiled back.

"You ready?" one of the girls asked. Sakura nodded energetically and turned to Ino.

"Sorry Ino-chan. I have to go, see you later!" she said apologetically.

Ino just started at her blankly. She thought Sakura had plans for the afternoon, not right now.

Akari seemed to be able to read her mind. "We're taking Sakura shopping," she explained, "She needs a pretty dress for this afternoon."

"Oh," was all Ino could manage.

Akari giggled and patted Ino on the head. "It was really great of you to give her that ribbon, Ino-chan. Sakura really is cute when she's not trying to hide it. She has lots of potential!"

The other girls winked knowingly and before Ino could say anything, they were gone, taking Sakura with them.

Ino slumped against the wall and sighed. Her mother, who had been busy helping a customer, approached.

"Where's Sakura going?" she asked, dusting off her gloved hands. The customer thanked her and left the store. Ino's mother knelt down beside her and began to water the potted rose Sakura had been admiring.

"I don't know," Ino admitted. Her mother looked like she was about to say something, but Ino cut her off. "I'm going out, okay?"

She stood up, undid the knots of her soiled apron and silently handed it to her mother. She took it reluctantly, but was too surprised to say or do anything. Then Ino walked over the front entrance and pushed open the door.

"Ino!" her mother called warningly.

"I'll be back soon," she muttered, quickening her pace deliberately so her mother would not be able to catch up immediately if she decided to follow her. Soon, she was running through the streets of Konoha, headed towards her sanctuary, her precious meadow of wildflowers.

As Ino neared the forest, she slowed down. A grin spread across her face as she glimpsed familiar flowers growing among the trees and grass. _CRASH! _She suddenly collided into a dark shape.

"Hey! Watch it," she heard an irritable voice say. Ino leapt backwards in fright.

"Ah, I'm sorry," she mumbled, hanging her head, embarrassed.

"Just watch where you're going, Ino," he said crossly.

She blinked in surprise and inspected the person more closely. He had already turned away to leave, but she could tell who it was by the prominent symbol on the back of his shirt.

"Okay…Sasuke."


	11. She's Changed, Ino

Sasuke twisted around and looked inquisitively at Ino. His appearance was terrible and battered, but his eyes shone with a strange, feverish light.

"Um, are you okay?" Ino fretted, wondering what Sasuke was up to. Surely he wasn't training like a maniac again?! Last time he stayed out in the forest doing shuriken practice all night, he had ended up in the hospital. _And _he didn't want her to visit him, even though he said he was completely fine. The nurses however, told him he was in no condition to have visitors. So she shoved all the flowers she got him under his door. When Sasuke was discharged from the hospital, he claimed that he thought she was Ami, but Ino knew he was lying.

"I'm fine," he said tersely, leaning against a tree. He winced at the contact but otherwise acted as if he wasn't hurt.

"Alright," she agreed, though her tone made it obvious that she didn't believe him.

Sasuke threw up his hands in exasperation. "I was training."

"I knew it!" Ino cried, glaring pointedly at him. That would explain his condition.

He glared back heatedly. "It's none of your business, Ino."

"It doesn't matter, you still shouldn't be overexerting yourself like this," Ino said crossly.

"Who said I was overexerting myself?" Sasuke snapped. Ino was about to reply when Sasuke collapsed onto the ground.

"See?" Ino said triumphantly.

He groaned and covered his face. "Go away."

"I don't think I will –" Ino began, but when she heard the rustling of leaves nearby and a high-pitched shriek of laughter, she changed her mind. "Never mind, I think I will. Later, Sasuke."

She leaped nimbly into a tree, quickly obscuring herself from view before Sasuke could react. She peered around a particularly thick branch, and spotted him almost at once. He was still in the position she left him in, sprawled on the ground and gazing up blankly. Ino stifled a giggle. Apparently Sasuke heard, because he glared up in the general direction where he knew she concealed.

"Sasuke!" the bush behind him emiited a loud, high-pitched squeal that grated on Ino's nerves. She clenched her fists, preparing to make a run for it if it was Ami. She had a nagging suspicion that the bully liked Sasuke, so she didn't have any particular feelings of remorse for leaving him alone to deal with her. Ami would never hurt him physically. Worst case scenario, she could damage his pride, which was probably far worse for him than being whacked to death. Not that Ami would do such a thing. Ino smirked, waiting for her to make an appearance.

She froze when four girls came into view, arms linked and giggling madly.

"Hey, Sasuke-kun!" one of them cried, her face alight. Sasuke covered his head with his hands and closed his eyes. Ino moved so that she was better concealed in the leaves. That girl…there was no doubt about it. It was Akari. Which meant one of them…must be Sakura.

_We're taking Sakura shopping. She needs a pretty dress for this afternoon._

So that's what she must have meant. Ino groaned inwardly and risked a fleeting peek below. All she needed was a glimpse of brilliant pink hair to be certain, but she couldn't help but notice Sakura's garments. Her friend was wearing a red sundress that matched her ribbon. Ino would have sworn the corresponding outfit was Akari's idea a few hours ago, but now she wasn't so sure.

"We were talking to Kiba earlier, but he had to go home to feed Akamaru," one of the girls that Ino didn't know explained. "Do you mind if we came to talk to you?"

"Hn. I'm training."

Ino heard a loud squeal and a burst of shrill laughter. "Oh, can we watch?!"

"No, I'm going home."

"Aw, but Sasuke-_kun_," Akari pleaded.

There was a rustle of leaves and a grunt as Sasuke got up. Ino grinned when he heard him walking away from them. It wasn't likely that they would let him go without giving chase, however. As if on cue, the girls burst into giggles again and followed him.

"Sasuke…!"

The sound of their voices grew faint as they chased after Sasuke. Ino sighed, stunned by what she had just witnessed. Sakura…


	12. First Love

"Everyone, listen, listen!" Sakura came bounding up to Ino and the rest of their friends, her face shining. Ino looked curiously at Sakura, as did Akari, who stood beside her.

Sakura raised her arms happily. "I have a boy I like now!"

Ino smiled indulgently at her friend. With Sakura and the rest of them chasing after boys all the time now, it was to be expected.

"Who do you think it is?" Sakura continued, gazing expectantly at everyone.

"Don't tell us it's Sasuke-kun," Ume teased, folding her arms across her chest.

Sakura's face fell. "H-how did you know?"

Ino started. Akari seemed to notice, because she tapped her on the shoulder. Ino merely shrugged when Akari whispered urgently to her. "Hey Ino, but isn't that the guy that _you _like?"

"Just because he's my friend doesn't mean I have to like him," Ino whispered back, annoyed.

Akari tilted her head and giggled madly. "He's your friend? Aw, isn't that cute!"

Ino glared at her, but Akari just flipped her hair, waving it off. "There's nothing wrong with that, it's just that you have competition."

Ino nearly choked. She was about to reply when she heard Haruko say to Sakura. "Isn't it obvious? Sasuke-kun is the most popular guy."

Was he? Ino furrowed her brow in confusion. But then…that did explain why girls were attracted to him like fleas. Every time she talked to him, someone would interrupt their conversation. Sometimes it was Ami, and sometimes it was Akari and her friends. And Sakura. She was always there, too.

"What? Really…?" Sakura mumbled, blushing slightly.

"Hey, Ino," Akari said. "Sakura had become a lot more cheerful, don't you think?"

"She's just acting tough," she snapped, her thoughts still whirring madly. Yes…she was a lot more cheerful. Ino's face hardened when she heard Sakura asking what she should do, because a lot of girls liked Sasuke. _A lot of girls like Sasuke…!_

-:-

"Hey, Ino-chan!"

"Sakura…!" Ino replied automatically.

"I heard Sasuke likes girls with long hair!" she exclaimed, tugging at her pink locks with an air of superiority.

"Oh, really?" Ino said, trying to sound interested, but failing miserably. Did Sakura really think she cared...?!

"Yeah…" Sakura's tone changed, sounding slightly annoyed. Ino looked up. She had never heard Sakura using that tone of voice before.

"What is it, Sakura?"

"Oh, nothing," she mumbled, turning away.

Why was Sakura acting like this? Ino gazed wearily at her retreating back. She had thought they could hang out together once in a while, like they used to. And everything seemed like it was working out. They were best friends, right? But ever since Sakura announced that she liked Sasuke, she seemed to want to spend her days chasing after him than picking flowers. As Ino wasn't interested in the least – partially because she didn't want to and partially because she knew Sasuke would think she was a maniac – she refrained from joining Sakura and her friends on their pursuit. Since Sakura spent almost all her time doing this, the time they spent together was limited, almost nonexistent. They were slowly drifting apart, and there was nothing Ino could do to stop it.

Even worse, she seemed to be suspicious of Ino. Ever since Sakura saw her talking to Sasuke when he was training, Ino could see that the looks she gave her had changed. There was always a glint of doubt, some underlying jealousy in those brilliant green eyes. She had caught Sakura on more than one occasion looking at her, with a fierce expression that she reserved for competitors for Sasuke's love.


	13. The Rivalry

"Sakura hasn't come over for a few weeks already," Ino's mother noted quietly. "Is there anything wrong?"

Ino looked up, bewildered. "Oh, I don't think so."

Her mother looked at her oddly, and continued with her work. Ino grabbed a flower at random and began tearing at the leaves absent-mindedly. She was halfway through when she noticed that it was a cosmos. She flung it into a far corner of the room and glared at nothing in particular.

"If you're this bored, you should go visit her instead. You can't expect her to come over to see you if you never go over to her house."

Ino jerked back in surprise. Why had she never thought of that? She brightened immediately and dashed to her room to gather her things.

When she reached her room, her eyes fell upon the friendship bracelets she had made. It had seemed so long ago. Smiling, she packed them neatly into her bag and made her way to the door. Forget about Sakura's birthday present. Ino was going to give them to her _now_ and that was that.

"Where are you going?" Ino's mother called from the other room just as Ino reached the front door.

"Out," she responded. Ino knew that her mother knew where she was going even before she asked.

-:-

"Ohayo, Haruno-san," Ino said, when Sakura's father opened the door. He looked surprised to see her.

"Ino! What a pleasant surprise," he nodded at her jovially, but his expression was unusually tense.

"Is Sakura home?" she asked.

"Oh yes, come on in."

Ino followed him into the house and perched on the edge of the couch apprehensively. Kizashi excused himself for a moment and wandered off, calling out Sakura's name. Ino bit her lip and inspected the room around her. Her gaze flitted to the photographs on the wall, and her heart plummeted into her stomach. There were at least dozens of them, all featuring Sakura and her friends. Here, Sakura was laughing into the camera with Akari. This one, Sakura, Haruko and Ume were eating dangos together. And that one, Sakura and a couple of girls Ino didn't recognize were posing with a very irritated Sasuke. And there, another irritated-looking Sasuke was glaring at the camera, trying but failing to hide his face with a kunai. That picture was decorated with sparkly stickers and circled with a pink marker.

"Ino-chan?"

Ino turned quickly away from the photographs and saw Sakura leaning hesitantly against a wall.

"Oh, hey!" Ino said, trying to sound upbeat, even though she felt as though she had swallowed a pail of acid.

Sakura flounced to Ino's side, her face appearing to be delighted but her green eyes were laced with uncertainty. With a pang, Ino saw that she was wearing some sort of a strange purple contraption that looked vaguely like a frilly ball gown.

"What are you doing here?" Sakura demanded, her eyes rather suspicious. Ino didn't reply immediately. This was the first time she had seen her friend in three weeks, and _this _was what she said to her? Ino had thought Sakura was the friendlier counterpart of their friendship.

"Um, nice dress," Ino mumbled lamely.

Sakura brightened momentarily. "Hana bought it for me."

Ino didn't bother to ask who Hana was, and she didn't care. It reminded her of the bracelets. She rummaged in her bag for a moment, and pulled one out.

"Here, this is for you."

Sakura stared at it warily. "What is it?"

"I-it's a –" Ino's voice broke and she coughed to dislodge the lump in her throat. "It's a friendship bracelet."

There was genuine gratitude in Sakura's eyes as she took it and fastened it around her wrist. "Thank you Ino-chan."

Ino nodded, not trusting her voice.

"So, I haven't seen you in a while," said Sakura, her voice edged with doubt. "You've been hanging out with Sas – I mean, you've been busy, right?"

What was that supposed to mean?! Sakura was the one who had been busy going out with her friends all the time. Ino bit back a nasty retort, knowing that it would do little to improve the situation if she let her temper get out of hand. Instead, she just shrugged. She thought she saw a flash of resentment in Sakura's eyes, but she dismissed it at once.

"We could…hang out now if you'd like," Ino mumbled. "If you're not busy, I mean."

There it was again. That flash of resentment, of anger in her eyes. Ino still couldn't be sure.

When Sakura spoke, her voice was light, almost happy. But her eyes said otherwise. "Of course I'm not busy! Come on, let's go!"

Sakura grabbed Ino by the arm and half-dragged her out the door.

"Sakura, what are you doing?" Ino asked reproachfully, rubbing her aching wrist. Sakura didn't answer, but she let go of Ino and continued walking. Ino followed, unsure of where they were headed until she recognized the patches of cosmos dotting the field. It was her favourite meadow.

Sakura sat down on the bench and motioned Ino to sit with her. Ino hesitated, but ultimately obeyed. They were silent for a long time, sitting there and listening to the wind blowing through the trees. Ino felt uncomfortable. They had never been so distant since Sakura had opened up to her. Finally, it was Sakura who broke the silence.

"Ino-chan?"

"Yes?"

Sakura avoided Ino's questioning gaze. "Is it true…that you like Sasuke-kun too?"

Ino swallowed. She was about to deny it when she decided to think about it for a moment. Was it true…? Did she…because she enjoyed his company, and just because he was her friend, did that mean…?

"Then we're rivals from now on."

Ino glanced at Sakura in utter disbelief. She had stood up, and the wind was playing with strands of her hair. With another pang, she realized that Sakura was growing it out.

_I heard Sasuke-kun likes girls with long hair…!_

Sakura's face was hidden in the shadows, but as she walked away from the bench, she turned back one more time. And Sakura glared resentfully at Ino, her features twisted with so much jealousy and raw anger that Ino was frightened of her friend for the first time. She had never seen such a look on her face until now. And that expression would be branded in Ino's mind, wiping out every other happy memory she had of Sakura for a long time.

* * *

A/N: I just wanted to give you amazing readers a HUGE thank you for the support and the reading of this fanfic. This was my first longer story idea and I am overwhelmed by the sheer number of reads and thankful that many of you guys are following/faving this thing. I used to be really self-conscious of posting my works in public, but that's changed because of you readers. I'm really grateful for each and every one of you for taking your time to read this, and gah, I'm getting a bit teary-eyed and blubbery now. What I just wrote probably didn't make much sense, haha. ^^'


	14. Miserable

Inoichi was worried about his daughter. She had a naturally cheerful personality and a tendency to speak her mind, even if it wasn't the right thing to say. But for her to shut herself in her room for days on end…for her to keep so abnormally quiet even though he could tell she was distressed…there was definitely something very wrong. He tried to confide in his wife about his revelation but she refused to say anything. It was as if she already knew, and like him, was trying to convince herself otherwise.

"She'll be fine," she had assured him. "It's just a phase."

…Just a phase.

Inoichi wasn't so sure. But one thing he was certain. It had something to do with that Uchiha kid.

"Dad, it's not about Sasuke, I swear," Ino told him when he accidentally let slip his assumption.

There goes his theory.

"Then, that Haruno Sakura that used to come over every day?" he persisted.

His wife shot him a warning look, but it was too late. Ino bit her lip, shaking her head slowly. Nevertheless, she turned away from her parents so they couldn't see her face. And naturally, Inoichi assumed that she was crying. This, of all his assumptions, was the only one closest to the truth.

Ino didn't show up for dinner that evening.

"She's overreacting!" he bellowed finally, not directing his words at anyone in particular. "Girls her age go through friends all the time. She had to learn that friendship doesn't last forever!"

He though he could hear a choked sob coming from her room.

"Inoichi!" his wife gasped, dropping the pan of noodles she holding. He was about to turn to her to apologize, but she smashed headfirst into him as she rushed to Ino's room.

She didn't show up to dinner that evening either.

"What is it with kunoichi and their problems?" he muttered to himself, stabbing moodily at his meal. That was something he would never understand. He'll leave it to Ino's mother to sort things out. She was better at those kinds of things.

-:-

Meanwhile, she was having a difficult time based on Inoichi's standards.

"Ino?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But –"

"Please, just go away."

Ino's mother sighed in frustration. She had thought she understood Ino better than anyone. And now every question she asked, every move she tried to make was being blocked. She would never be able to get anything out of her daughter at this rate.

"You can tell me what's wrong, you know," she tried again.

"There's nothing wrong."

"Yes there is!" she reverted to the annoying, persistent approach that she knew Ino hated. To her satisfaction, Ino looked up from the flowers she was clutching and glared at her.

"Finally I've got some sort of a reaction from you," she said, pleased. "It's no good being cooped up in your room all the time, Ino. You know moping around like this is affecting me and your father as well. Don't be selfish."

"I'm not!" Ino yelled, covering her face with her hands.

Her mother's expression softened. She was being too harsh on her daughter. "Just please understand that we're worried about you, that's all. Be considerate of our feelings too, it's all we're asking."

Ino remained silent, her face still buried in a handful of flowers. With a flicker of recognition, her mother realized that they were the cosmos Sakura had given her. They were all wilted now, turning brown and dry with age. Yet Ino insisted on keeping them. And now…

Lost in thought, Ino's mother rose and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her. She stayed standing outside of Ino's room just long enough to hear her begin to sob quietly.


	15. Change Brings Pain

"What happened?" Ino asked, almost inaudibly. They were eating breakfast, and her parents were unusually subdued. They exchanged glances, and nodded finally, their expressions determined.

"We weren't planning to tell you," Inoichi began slowly, "because we were worried you would take it badly. We didn't want to upset you seeing as you've barely recovered from, well…you know."

Ino nodded carefully, not wanting give her father an excuse to claim that she was incapable of handling the news. She had gotten over Sakura's betrayal for the most part, and her parents were more than relieved.

"Go on," she was proud that her voice was calm.

Ino's mother cleared her throat loudly. "Ino. A few days ago, Uchiha Itachi slaughtered his entire clan."

_No…no…NO!_

"Sasuke is alive," Inoichi said quickly. "He was spared, so don't you worry."

Despite herself, Ino was comforted by the fact. She reprimanded herself for being so selfish, but she couldn't help it. _I-if he had been killed…!_

"Who's Itachi?" Ino asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

Her parents looked at each other again, their faces composed. Then they both looked at Ino as if mentally agreeing that she had a right to know.

"Uchiha Itachi…is Sasuke's older brother."

-:-

"I'm sorry, but he can't have visitors, dear."

"But…_please_," Ino was close to tears, but she didn't want to break down in front of this nurse, who was looking at her funny. She didn't want to give her – or anyone for that matter – the satisfaction of seeing her crying.

"I'm sorry," she repeated mechanically, "but he can't –"

"Excuse me, miss," a voice came from behind Ino, and both she and the nurse whirled around.

"Dad!" Ino cried in relief.

"Y-yamanaka-san!" the nurse stammered, her face turning slightly red. "This is your daughter?"

"Yes," Inoichi said curtly, looking at Ino with a strange expression on his face. Then he turned to the nurse. "I'm sorry for the interference, but Ino here wants to see her friend Sasuke. Is he in critical condition?"

"I…uh…well, no," she mumbled.

Inoichi's eyes softened. "If he's not in any state to receive visitors, we understand that. But my daughter wants to visit her friend, and if anyone deserves it, she does."

Ino's face turned warm, but she felt a sudden rush of affection for her father. Despite his occasional overprotective demeanour, he always meant well. He was always on her side. Impulsively, she ran up to her father and gave him a meaningful hug. He hugged her back with one arm, looking awkward. The nurse cleared her throat noisily.

"Alright, if you will follow me, Ino-chan," she said, her voice clipped. Ino looked at her father, and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Then she followed the nurse down the hall.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she called, before sliding the door open. "You have a visitor." Then she turned to Ino and her expression was unreadable. "Five minutes."

Sasuke was lying on the hospital bed, his eyes fixed on the ceiling above. Ino walked in and closed the door gently behind her. He didn't seem to notice.

"Sasuke…?" Ino whispered uncertainly. Now that she was here, she had no idea what she should do. He turned to face her, and his black eyes bore into Ino's – sinister, angry, and hateful. Ino recoiled. What happened to him?

"What are you doing here?" he asked tonelessly, still glaring at Ino with that strange, intense expression. It scared her more than anything else, even more than the look on Sakura's face when she declared that they were rivals from then on.

"I…" Ino faltered, widening her eyes in fear. "I just wanted…to see if you were okay."

"Now you've seen," said Sasuke, his voice flat. "Anything else, or can I tell the nurse to take you away?"

Ino was at a loss for words. Sasuke had always been a bit on the rude side…but this? It was too much.

"I came here to visit you because you're my friend," Ino spat. It felt good to be retaliating, rather than standing there like an unresponsive doll. It was what broke her friendship with Sakura, her silence. "Not that you care!"

"You're no friend of mine," Sasuke's voice was calm, and the words shattered Ino's heart. "So of course, I don't care."

Ino didn't care what he'd been through. She was too angry to think rationally, to figure out why he was acting like this. She stepped forwards and punched Sasuke full in the face. Ino wanted him to react, to complain, to say something, _anything_. But he just stared at her, the angry look in his eyes never fading away. She wasn't even sure if he felt the physical pain anymore. Or perhaps her punch was too soft. She shook her head mechanically. It had something to do with his brother being the one behind all this, she was convinced. Something inside of him had broken permanently.

_I have to be strong…as strong as my brother!_

"What's wrong with you?" Ino whispered, tears starting to leak from the corners of her eyes. She wiped them away angrily. "We _are_ friends, right?"

"We…were friends once," Sasuke said thoughtfully, his eyes clouded. "But I have become an avenger. I need no friends."

It was still nice to hear it, even though he was using the past tense. Ino couldn't understand his motive for breaking their friendship. It wasn't for something shallow like Sakura had done, and it wasn't for anything she could identify. Rage bubbled inside her chest again, causing her to lose sight of reason.

"I _hate _you!" she screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I-I've lost both my best friends because of you, Sasuke. Why…? _Why?!_"

At that moment, the nurse stepped into the room. "Your five minutes is up –"

But Ino had run past her and into the hall, without bothering to wait for Sasuke's answer.

The nurse stared at her, and back at Sasuke, wondering what on earth was going on. And Sasuke lay on the bed, the angry fire dying from his dark eyes for a fleeting moment. He didn't know what she meant when Ino said that he had made her lose both of her best friends. He was only one person, wasn't he?

_I-I'm sorry, Ino…_

But it was something he would never say aloud, because it meant that he was admitting he was weak. And he could never be weak, if he were to avenge his clan. His face hardened with the weight of his resolve.

"I have to be strong…stronger than my brother!"


	16. Confrontation

"So it comes down to this, huh?" Ino tried to keep her voice steady, but it was shaking worse than ever. She curled her fingers into fists, trying to stop her body from trembling in fury.

"What do you mean?"

"Our friendship. It meant nothing to you?!"

Sasuke exhaled noisily, averting his gaze. _That coward! _Ino thought bitterly.

"Ino, just forget it. It would have been better if we weren't friends in the first place."

Ino was itching to punch him again. Maybe then she could knock some sense into that revenge-driven head of his. "Why would it be better? Are you admitting that you're isolating yourself at every turn? Are you admitting that you're wrong? It _hurts_, Sasuke. It really does."

"And I was never one of the caring types," he shot back, clenching his fists as well. Good. Maybe they could do some physical combat rather than yelling at each other pointlessly. With that thought in mind, a small, humourless smile twisted Ino's lips.

It had taken her a whole year to confront him. And Sasuke, that proud, arrogant fool just _didn't care. _Ino wanted to punch herself as well for wasting her time making friends with people that didn't want to be her friend. Just when she thought things were working out, just when she thought she had made the two most perfect friendships in the world…they had to go and break them.

_She saw her parents squabbling in her mind's eye._

"_She's a violet, our Ino!"_

"_No, she's a cosmos!"_

"_Mother, Father, just stop, please," Ino had begged. How could she embody sincerity, how could she embody love? And worse of all, how could she represent harmony, when she had just lost both her best friends? That certainly wasn't harmonious. "I'm…better off as an Ino-pig."_

Ino snapped back to the present. "Alright, Sasuke," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "But understand what you've done." Then she fled.

And now...she was sulking at favourite meadow, feeling sorry for herself. _What a fool I've been…!_

"Ino-pig."

She didn't even need to look up. She recognized the voice. By now, she had even recognized the disdainful tone, however painful it had been to admit it. The way she spoke to her was so different from what it had been a year ago. It was hard to imagine how the dynamics between them could have changed so much in such a short period of time. She herself…would never be the same.

"Billboard brow."

Ino picked up a cosmos and twirled it in her fingers, wanting nothing more than to tear it to shreds. Sakura had come up from behind her, she could sense it.

"Y-you were flirting with Sasuke-kun?"

Ino continued to twirl the flower, her face devoid of emotions. Blank. Empty. The way she wished her heart could be.

"No," she responded, pleased that her voice was as blank as her expression. "I was yelling at him."

Sakura must have been shocked to hear it, because she didn't speak for a long time. Then they both turned to look at each other simultaneously and glowered.

"Why, Ino?" Sakura asked, almost calmly. "What gives you the right to yell at Sasuke-kun?"

"It's none of your business," Ino shot back, tired of this nonsense, tired of how much her friends changed. If she had known this was what would have become of them…Sakura…Sasuke…

Sakura glared at her and crossed her arms. "I'll never lose to you. Ever again."

"Neither will I," Ino responded automatically. But she already had, she knew it in the depths of her heart…

And she didn't mind.

-:-

"Good morning, Sakura," Ino had spotted her friend – she shook her head vehemently – rival, she meant, walking towards her. They were real kunoichi of Konoha now, and she was hoping desperately that Sakura would be on the same team as Sasuke so that it might improve their friendship. Sakura looked startled, and then a suspicious look crossed her face.

"Good morning, Ino."

Ino's face hardened. So much for her optimism. Sakura would never change. But then again...hadn't she told herself that the last time? As Ino stepped out of the flower shop, Sakura came by walked alongside her, her posture stiff and hostile. Ino took one look at her face, and anger began to seep through her, despite herself.

"I can't believe they let you graduate," Ino said evenly, looking sideways at Sakura, hoping she would react.

"The past doesn't matter anymore. Starting today, we are both ninjas."

Ino felt a wave of pain at the connotation of her words. Sakura had already renounced their friendship years ago. Why say it again? To break her will? She laughed bitterly to herself.

"I won't lose to you anymore, Ino."

With that, Sakura flounced off ahead, her hair flying. Ino's eyes closed momentarily, and she ran to catch up. Sakura turned around, a look of annoyance on her face. Then she huffed and began to walk faster. Ino groaned in exasperation and chased after Sakura.

-:-

"Ohayo, Sasuke-kun. Can I sit next to you?"

Ino glared at Sakura and stomped over to where she stood. She couldn't help it. First Sakura tried to race her to the Academy, next she knocks over that poor kid Naruto in her haste to talk to Sasuke, what next? This wasn't the Sakura she knew, and she had to do something about it. She grabbed Sakura's arm.

"Hey, I'm going to sit next to him," Ino said, ignoring the look of rage and disbelief on Sakura's face. She wasn't surprised to see that Sasuke hadn't reacted. He never did these days.

"First come, first serve!" Sakura spat, wrenching her arm free.

"I came into the classroom before you!" Ino retorted.

"I did!"

"No, I was first!"

The rest of the kunoichi in the class had come over, causing quite a commotion. Ino gazed smugly at Sasuke, who looked up at last, the usual annoyed look on his face. _Finally, a reaction…!_

She grinned him, who hn'd in response and turned away.


	17. An Incomplete Reconciliation

"Ino…I'm on the same team as Sasuke-kun."

Ino's felt a fresh stab of pain in her heart at her words. She stared at Sakura, her anguish veiled behind an emotionless mask. It was the first time they made eye contact without glaring fiercely at each other in four years. Four…whole…years. And now, after all the barriers Ino tried to put up, no matter how much she tried to forget about Sakura…about Sasuke…those simple words were enough to shatter all that hard work. It was just a simple phrase, yet she felt the tears spring to her eyes as she remembered what she had tried to forget. All these years…and she had not forgotten from the very beginning.

"Why say it again?" she asked dully, ready to flee if the tears spilled over. Sakura…

"I won't lose to you anymore, Ino," she said, green eyes wide and determined. Sakura had changed so much. Her behaviour, her appearance, her personality. Had it only been four years? Ino gazed sadly at the trademark pink hair which was one of the few things she could still recognize about her friend. And even that had changed – Sakura had grown out.

"_I heard Sasuke-kun likes girls with long hair!"_

Oh Sakura…how much she would despise Ino even more if she knew. The truth was, she hadn't given a thought about it until…that day.

"_We…were friends once…but I have become an avenger. I need no friends."_

Tears blurred her vision. She was such a fool, thinking that growing her own hair out would make him turn normal again. She had been such an idiot. Did she really believe they would be friends again…? Did she really think something as material as long hair would make Sasuke notice her again?

"I…I won't lose to you in everything, Sakura," Ino blinked back the tears that were threatening to make a reappearance. Sakura had been completely committed to their rivalry. She had broken Ino's willpower for a long time. But when she recovered, she had dedicated herself wholly to match Sakura's determined competition. She vowed she would never lose to her former friend, never again. And she vowed she would never lose another friend.

Then Ino smiled, and it didn't match the emotional turmoil she felt inside. But she was getting used to wearing a cool, calm, almost arrogant façade at all times. It was partly thanks to Sakura with her firm, unwavering rivalry to draw out this side of her. And…it was partly thanks to Sasuke, with his stuck-up attitude that was so easy to copy. Ino almost smiled at the memory.

Sakura's face hardened and she rifled in her back pocket and drew out something red. She held it out to Ino. An invitation.

"The ribbon?"

_She kept it all this time…_

"I'm giving this back to you."

Ino gazed at Sakura, her face composed. _What…? No…!_

"I gave that ribbon to you," Ino said at last, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "And you're supposed to put that forehead protector on your forehead."

How ironic, seeing as she was wearing her own on her waist! But she was too angry, too miserable to care. If Sakura wanted to criticize her words, then so be it.

"I'm no longer the girl who has been chasing you all this time," Sakura said, her voice steady. Ino's face hardened. Jealousy…it had broken both of them.

"When I put this on my forehead, I can't lose to you as a kunoichi."

Ino nodded stiffly. "I'll do the same when the time comes."

Then she grasped Sakura's hand with her own. An incomplete reconciliation. But at that moment, Ino could never be happier.


End file.
